Meet Cindy!
Name: Cinderella (aka “Cindy”)
Breed: Striped Tabby (with a white “necklace” around her neck)
Likes: Snuggling, burying under covers, lying in the sun, watching critters in the yard, playing with Ama, being groomed by Mama
Dislikes: Sudden noises
About Cinderella: Cindy is the most respectful, kind, dainty cat I have ever known. She asks nothing of anyone. She came to me in February 2014 when Four Paws Rescue Team asked if I could “hold onto her” for a couple of weeks. I knew little about Cindy except that she had been rescued from a tough part of D.C., where several shootings had occurred. Her kittens had been rescued separately and, through an amazing coincidence, were reunited with her. About the same time that I met Cindy, Four Paws asked me to foster another cat, “Mr. Mom”. While Mr. Mom was outgoing and friendly, poor Cindy hid behind boxes in my basement and rarely came out. Mr. Mom befriended Cindy and helped her find a safe, trusting space. The two weeks turned into a month, and I fell in love with both Cindy and Mr. Mom. My task, however, was to find a permanent home for both of them. I wanted them to be adopted together, but had no luck. Eventually, a family adopted Mr. Mom, leaving Cindy behind. I worried that all of Cindy’s progress would be lost. When I mentioned this to Barbara Lipson, head of Four Paws, Barbara said that often when the stronger one leaves, the timid one has an opportunity to shine. That’s exactly what happened. Cindy eventually ventured upstairs, where, unfortunately, she was met with hostility from my cat, Ama. Undeterred, Cindy continued to try to join the human race. One day, after Ama cornered Cindy for the twentieth time, Cindy stood up to Ama, causing Ama to walk away in dismay. They are now best friends. The next step was for Cindy to come upstairs to my bedroom, where all of my pets sleep. Once again, Ama thwarted Cindy’s efforts, hissing at her and driving her away. But Cindy is street-smart. She eventually figured out that if she hid under the bed until Ama fell asleep, she could quietly jump on the bed and snuggle next to me, undetected. Soon, Mama showed an interest in caring for Cindy. It took some getting used to, but Cindy lets Mama groom her and lets Mama sleep next to her. And here we are, three years later. Each night when it’s time to go to bed, my dog, Lilly, comes up to my room and jumps on her chair; Ama and Mama snuggle at the foot of my bed, and Cindy snuggles up next to me. A peaceful co-existence.
And let me add that Cindy’s tail was amputated before I met her, after she was hit by a car. And Ama has no tail and is missing her front arm. And Mama was born without hind feet. So the running joke is if you put all my cats together you’d get one complete cat!